Division 3 National Ladies Football League Final : Clare 2-10 – Kildare 2-11
Two periods of extra-time were required to separate the Banner and the Lilywhites in a fiercely contested encounter at Parnell Park.
The scoring prowess of Roisín Byrne bolstered by a Neasa Dooley penalty in the opening period gave the Lilywhites an early advantage , however contributions from Fidelma Marrinan and the returning Aisling Reidy kept Clare in touch at the interval on a score line of 1-02 to 0-03.
The sides continued to exchange blows in quickfire fashion on the restart, however on 44 minutes , Kildare’s second goal of the day coming from the boot of Grace Clifford, placed significant daylight between the sides and threatened to derail Banner ambitions.
Embodying the spirit that defined their league campaign , Clare rallied in the final quarter to remarkably level the contest once again with three more Fidelma Marrinan points in addition to a Clíonadh Blake score along with Laura Griffey’s all important goal levelling the sides once again at Clare 1-10 to Kildare’s 2-07.
Extra-time ensued and Clare’s momentum stayed with it as Fidelma Marrinan soon found the net to take her personal tally for the day to 1-05 and put the Banner on the verge of a famous victory.
However Kildare’s response was emphatic and led by talisman Roisín Byrne, it was her tenth and final point of the day that secured the minimum victory for Kildare on a full time score of 2-11 to 2-10.
